Sunday, January 22, 2012

Improve Your Workout Results With A Bodybuilding Diet

Everyone who is involved in sports or anyone who simply wants to have a beautiful muscular body practices bodybuilding. Bulking up can be achieved by proper weight training and a balanced bodybuilding diet that should include 40% carbohydrates, 40% proteins and 20% good fats.

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the human body. Oatmeal, grits, pasta, brown rice, and sweet potatoes in combination with green beans and broccoli are the best sources of carbohydrates. These ensure that muscle mass is maximized instead of fat gain. To fuel workouts, an increase of carbohydrate intake is needed to gain muscle.

Proteins are the building blocks for all body tissues. The main sources of protein are chicken, turkey, lean red meats, tuna, salmon, mackerel, tilapia, shrimp, and egg whites.

Some fats are important to ensure the production of hormones that stimulate muscle growth. Virgin olive oil and flax seed oil are the main sources of good fats like Omega Fatty Acids. These are used by the body to produce hormones, lubricate joints, and ensure proper brain function. Elimination of all fats will cause testosterone levels to drop and stunt the development of muscles.

Gradual rather than drastic changes should be implemented in the diet of a person who wants to follow a bodybuilding diet. He must cut out as many fats as possible. Fats are one of the demons of nutrition. It is the densest of all nutrients; it is hard to digest and is the preferred storage of excess body mass that you don't want to store. You may have to start steaming and broiling your dishes instead of frying them. Salad dressings with high fat content should be replaced with low or non-fat alternatives. High fat meats should be replaced with skinless chicken or turkey.

Excess sugar should also be eliminated by avoiding regular sodas. Even diet sodas contain Aspartame that could cause cancer in the long run. Reduce, if not eliminate, the use of table sugar and the consumption of any sweets. Excess sugar, once in the body, is easily converted into fat. Instead of all types of sugary drinks, replace these with water. Drink 8 ounces of water after every meal and whenever you get thirsty. During workouts, drink at least 16 ounces. Like a plumbing system, it flushes the body and regenerates its cells through water replentishment.

Everybody's goal with a bodybuilding diet is to build more muscle and reduce body fat. How much muscle one can gain may depend on heredity and age. But basically, building muscles depends largely on eating the right kinds of foods in excess of what you currently eat coupled with strength and weight training.